Judgement: A Two Way Street, Part 2
by W5Lex
Summary: Steve & Danny's new relationship is going well, but what happens when Danny's cousin inadvertently reveals the truth to the detective's parents? Danny/Steve slash.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N 1: This fic is a sequel to **_**Intimacy **_**and part two of **_**A Two Way Street**_**. Though I would definitely recommend reading **_**Intimacy **_**first, I don't **_**think **_**it's necessary, and you should be fine if you **_**haven't **_**read it.**

**A/N 2: As with **_**Intimacy**_**, I have all of this written, so I will mostly be updating every day. As for the length, this currently stands at 19 000 words, and will probably increase as I edit and post. **

**A/N 3: Before we start, I want to say that I'm going to conveniently ignore all the trouble with Danny's brother, just because I don't think it will contribute all that much to this story.**

**A/N 4: Also, I know that the American way to spell this is **_**judgment **_**rather than **_**judgement**_**, but I figured I'm British, so I spelled it how I would normally spell it.**

**Right, now all that's over with, get reading...!**

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judg·ment

_**noun**_

1. an act or instance of judging.

2. the ability to judge, make a decision, or form an opinion objectively, authoritatively, and wisely, especially in matters affecting action; good sense; discretion: a man of sound judgment.

3. the demonstration or exercise of such ability or capacity: The major was decorated for the judgment he showed under fire.

4. the forming of an opinion, estimate, notion, or conclusion, as from circumstances presented to the mind: Our judgment as to the cause of his failure must rest on the evidence.

5. the opinion formed: He regretted his hasty judgment.

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It's been only two days since Danny and the team rescued Steve from the clasp of a group of criminals hoping to establish a long-term hostage situation, and the ex-SEAL still has the scars to show for it. Danny watches his face for almost twenty minutes as the sun begins to rise, slowly casting more and more light onto Steve's bruised face. In contrast to the aesthetic changes, Steve looks calm and content as he sleeps, the rise and fall of his chest even and deep, his slumber undisturbed by the safety and comfort that Danny's presence provides.

"Stop staring at me," he says, catching Danny off guard. He's been watching unashamedly for the past half an hour now, reluctant to wake Steve after the disaster that had thoroughly worn him out.

His head propped up by his hand; Danny pauses for a second before responding. "That a special SEAL magic trick?" he mocks.

A hint of a smile crosses Steve's face, but his eyes remain closed. "That's funny." There are another few moments of quiet, and Danny still makes no effort to move. Finally, Steve opens his eyes, adjusting to the light before looking into the eyes of his boyfriend. They've been together two months, and Danny has spent so much of his time in the McGarrett home that he is unable to remember the last visit to his apartment. Grace has known pretty much from the start, and so having her stay with them both has been no problem. The rest of the island had to wait until the day of Steve's kidnap to learn of their relationship, but the couple are enjoying the restored honesty in their friendships with the other half of the Five-0 taskforce. "Shouldn't you be gone already?" Steve asks as he looks into the fond eyes of his partner.

Danny bites down on his lower lip. "Hey, babe. Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, it's only been a couple of days."

Steve lets out a sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose before settling his arms above the blanket that covers them. He props himself up on his elbow to level with the man in his bed. "Danny," he warns. "Please, will you just go? The governor has ordered us to take the next week off anyway, you may as well go to the mainland _now_." Danny's eyes are still full of concern for his injured lover. "You heard the doc; no internal injuries, no lasting damage. I have my meds, I have my bed, just go. I'll be fine."

Though Danny may never have explicitly said so, Steve knows that leaving him alone isn't his only worry. He's also nervous that his mother and father will somehow find out about his new relationship; something that may…upset them, seeing as Danny is only a few years out of a marriage to a _woman_. They haven't discussed whether the detective will tell his parents, but Steve is leaving it up to him.

Danny simply frowns at his partner, although his apparent demeanour is doing a lot to ease Danny's worries; Steve is looking good this morning. The object of his affection reads the expression of indecision on his face, and swiftly pushes himself forwards to initiate a kiss. It's long and passionate, and it's not until Steve physically pushes Danny towards the edge of the bed that he gets up.

"Okay, okay. I'm going. No need to act so eager to get me out the house." As Danny stands there in nothing but a pair of boxer-briefs, Steve can't help but taunt him.

"Yeah, well my girlfriend will be round in a bit, and having you here might ruin the mood." Danny nods his head, giving clear indication that he's already struggling with leaving Steve alone – though for an entirely different reason – and there's no need to make it even harder than it already is.

Danny turns to his back to the bed and pulls on a pair of jeans and a grey tee, wrapping a khaki jacket quickly around himself before he heads to the bathroom. Now too late and too unconcerned with shaving, he brushes his teeth and packs a few toiletries into the top of the holdall that lies by the bedroom door, finding Steve in the exact same position he had been in when Danny had left the room a few minutes ago. He tugs on Steve's shoulder, forcing him to swivel his body and enabling Danny to lean down to him. Their lips meet, spreading a feeling of warmth throughout their bodies as each refuses to let the other go. Their tongues entwine, and their hands explore each other's bodies until finally Steve pushes him away.

He glances at the clock sitting on the beside table. "The flight departs at eight o'clock, right? You have an hour and a half. Go!" With one conclusive peck on the lips, Danny nods and picks up his cell from the floor.

"Jersey is five hours ahead, I'll call when I can," he yells as he grabs the bag from beside the door, and swiftly leaves the house.

**A/N: So there's the first chapter. For anyone worrying that Steve will be absent for this fic, don't fret; our favourite twosome will be reunited shortly.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: First, thanks to McShep01 for pointing out a minor plot hole, hopefully the first sentence of this will give a little explanation.**

**Second, thanks everyone for the brilliant reviews on the last chap of **_**Intimacy**_** and the first chap of this new installment; it's good to hear that I haven't gone and ruined a good thing by adding a new part to the story.**

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It's already been agreed that Chin and Kono will pick up the car and drop it back at the house; Steve's mild head trauma meant the doctor had warned him off driving for a few days and, remarkably, after persuasion and blackmail on Danny and Grace's part, he seems to have listened. So Danny parks in the parking lot of Honolulu International Airport and pockets the keys as he walks towards the nearest entrance. By the time he's managed to collect his boarding pass and make it through security, Danny is left with less than half an hour to browse the few shops. With almost all of them devoted to taking as much money as possible from vulnerable tourists, he strolls to Gate 3 and boards the plane ten minutes before they are due to depart.

Taking only his iPod out of the bag before stowing the rest in the overhead compartment, Danny settles into his window seat and waits patiently until someone finally fills the aisle seat. "You fly a lot?" Danny turns his attention to the woman next to him and smiles.

He shrugs, "Not too much, just to visit my family in Jersey." Danny has to fight back a laugh as he envisions the way this conversation would have gone three or four months ago. The woman sat next to him is, simply put, a bombshell. She's blonde, five-eight with long slender legs and an athletic body. Her friendly, white smile is comforting and warm, and her clothes hang off her frame like a perfectly proportioned model. Danny only notices on an objective level, and it's not something that bothers him now he has a committed relationship to return home to in a few days time. He almost shakes his head in mild disappointment; it figures that only now is he able to behave normally in front of such beautiful women.

She nods to him, examining Danny appreciatively, and then the subject of her gaze does something that surprises him to the core. As he notices the young woman checking him out, he offers an entirely unnecessary piece of personal information. "I live in Hawaii with my, uhh, my boyfriend." Even Danny is impressed with himself for revealing the nature of his relationship to an entire stranger, purely because the commitment he feels towards Steve makes him uncomfortable with her stare. The engines of the aircraft begin to whirr, and with a little effort, the woman appears to keep her face neutral and non-judgemental. To her credit, she doesn't seem to mind.

After half an hour of conversation with the blonde – Rebecca – the two overhead lights flash off indicating that seatbelts may be removed and electronic devices turned on, and the in-flight entertainment begins on the screens in front of all passengers. Danny flicks through the latest releases with the remote that sits in the armrest, picking out a couple of painfully terrible movies and watching them regardless.

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As the empties are collected from lunch by the cabin crew, Danny doesn't think he can face sitting through another film, and he pulls his iPod out of the pocket on the back of the seat in front. He lightly touches his finger to the shuffle icon, and as the first song begins to play, he can't help but feel that maybe it's some sort of taunt from Steve about having killed off any chance with Rebecca.

The chorus starts up, and Danny lets out an amused laugh, earning himself a curious look from some surrounding passengers.

_Sexy eyes, moving 'cross the floor_

_Couldn't want for more, sexy eyes_

_Sexy eyes, getting down with you_

_I wanna move with you, sexy eyes._

Having heard enough, Danny skips the rest of the track and leans his head against the window at his side, sliding contentedly into a light but peaceful slumber.

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Danny awakes at the change in motion, and he looks at the flight information on the personal entertainment screen before him for some indication of how long they have left to go. Rebecca notices him wake and gives a smile before returning to the magazine that sits in her lap. The countdown clock on the monitor says they have only ten minutes until landing, and Danny looks around to see that, indeed, all in flight entertainment has been halted. He switches off the iPod that still lies in his hands and pulls the headphones down to his neck as he shoves he device back into the pocket of his jeans.

With nothing better to do, Danny reverts to the popular airplane pastime, pulling the in-flight safety information from the pouch in front and letting his eyes look at the pictures whilst his mind floats to his friends in Hawaii.

Indeed, fifteen minutes later the airplane comes to a standstill in a bay at Newark International Airport. With no baggage to collect other than the bag he's carried on board, Danny manages to make a swift exit from the airport, and, as promised, his little cousin waits in an illegal spot, her head instantly revealing itself as she jumps out of the car to greet him. The time in Jersey is half past eleven, and the state is in total darkness.

"Jay!" Danny calls, his voice a laugh as he walks towards her. He dumps the bag by the passenger side door and opens his arms for his cousin, grinning as they embrace, and the twenty-two-year-old Jayla pecks him on the cheek before opening his car door.

"Are you staying at the Hilton round the corner from your parents' house?" Danny nods; as much as he loves his parents, he doesn't get along with them quite well enough to warrant a voluntary over night stay, with a compulsory sleep in their guest bedroom and the constant noise provided by the whirr of the house's heating right by his head.

Jayla nods, confident she now knows where she's going, and she turns to Danny, splitting her eyes between her cousin and the road. "So, how was the flight?"

Danny shrugs, gives a characteristic bite of the lip. "Fine, y'know. Uncomfortable." His legs ache after ten hours in such a confined space. "It's great to see you." Of all the people in the family, Danny's brother – Matt – and younger cousin – Jayla – are the people he gets on best with.

"You too cuz. Matt's been called away on business, but your parents want you to pay them a visit tomorrow, and if you don't come around to my place, I'll hunt you down."

Danny feigns fear, and rolls his hands around each other in some kind of unreadable gesture. "The weather's supposed to be decent. I was hoping we could get some air, maybe visit the park." Jay agrees on the idea, and they organise a time just as Danny leans back into the car to retrieve his bag.

Offering his police badge as ID for check-in to the hotel, Danny swiftly makes his way up to the room, sliding the key into the reader and pushing open the door. Despite the four hours of sleep he managed on the airplane, Danny is still feeling tired, his muscles still tight. He quickly strips down to his boxers and leaves his tee on as he delays no further and sets an alarm on his cell phone as he climbs into bed. As ever, he drifts gently to sleep bringing the image of Steve and Grace on a recent day by the beach to the forefront of his memory.

**A/N: So that's chapter two. Would love to hear what you guys think… :O)**


	3. Chapter 3

Danny's shrill alarm sounds at nine o'clock local time, and even he's a little amazed that he's managed to sleep so late. He quickly shuts off the phone and with nothing – or rather no one – there to persuade him to stay in bed, Danny swings his legs around until he sits upright at the side of the mattress. After taking a minute or so to get up and root around in his bag for the things he needs, the detective runs a hand through his hair and heads to the bathroom.

He runs the shower until it's hot, and then steps in with caution. His body still achy from the flight the previous day, Danny lets out a satisfied sigh as the steaming water pounds into his back, and he washes his hair before stepping out of the cubicle and wrapping a towel around his waist.

Glancing at his dishevelled appearance in the mirror, he idly wonders what Steve would think of the significant stubble, before shaving it from his face with the disposable razor left by the hotel. Danny can't fight the urge to check the time – half nine – and he counts the hours in his head to determine when will be the best time to give Steve call; not until lunch time at least.

The blond dresses quickly and heads down to the hotel's cantine to eat, bringing his keys with him to avoid making the trek back to the room. After a quick breakfast, he takes out his cell to text Jay, informing her that he's on his way.

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As Danny makes the short walk to the park where he is meeting his cousin, he realises something about the weather; it's unpleasant. In reality, the temperature isn't all that cold, but despite having lived in Hawaii for almost a year now, never has the point bothered him more than today. Danny shakes his head, trying to get rid of the unfamiliar distaste towards New Jersey, and don't get him wrong, he still absolutely _loves_ the place; he loves the formal attire of people beginning a days work, the tall buildings void of too much colour, and even the heavy smell of gas in the air. But Danny can't seem to shake the longing he's feeling for the Hawaiian warmth, and though he'll probably never admit to it out loud, he misses the beach. However much he tries to deny it to himself though, the cop can't help but think that maybe Steve and Grace have something to do with that. Maybe his boyfriend and daughter have helped to install Hawaii into the newly assigned status of _home._

Danny is shaken out of his thoughts as reaches the edge of the green expanse, and his cousin beckons him over from a spot a little further around the sidewalk. Feeling the chill, Danny tucks his chin, pulls up his zip, and shoves his hands into his jacket pockets as he walks around to meet her.

Not bothering with any physical greeting today, Jay simply slips her arm through Danny's as they continue to walk in circles around the greenery. They spend almost an hour on the subject of Grace, and Danny whips out his cell to show Jayla a recent picture. There's a big age gap between Danny and his cousin; almost thirteen years. Maybe that's why they're so close. When Jay was young, Danny was the perfect age to look after her; old enough to take her away for the afternoon, young enough that he had fun doing it. Still does.

She pulls him to the edge of the path, and they release their holds as they lower themselves to the bench. "So, I haven't spoken to you much since you started your new job, you gonna fill me in?"

"You've heard plenty, where do you want me to pick up? You remember how it started or do you not listen to _anything _I say?" He shoves her playfully and she turns to him with a frown.

"Start at the beginning. I'll be listening _this _time," she teases, and out comes the patented eye roll.

"Fine. So…" He hasn't even said anything, but already the hand gestures have begun. "I was working at HPD on a murder case a while back-"

"Who was murdered?"

Jay earns herself an open-handed movement indicative of annoyance. "Shut up. If you'd just let me speak for a couple of seconds, maybe I'll get to that part." Jay stares silently. "Okay, so I was working on a homicide and I didn't have a partner at the time."

"Why not?"

Danny glares. "Seriously?"

Jay gives an apologetic expression and draws a finger and her thumb over her lips, mimicking a zip. "Right, thank you. Interrupt again and I'll leave." Jay nods dutifully and puts her hands in her lap; a picture of obedience.

"No partner, so I turned up at the victim's house. Only when I entered, I wasn't alone. Cut a long story short, the vic's son, Steve McGarrett was there, messing with evidence. There was a…standoff, but turned out he was in the navy," Danny _always_ gets that right, at least when Steve isn't around to look miffed; one of life's great mysteries. "So, I told him to leave, he told me it was none of my business, blah blah blah," the hand gestures go wild at this point, "He called the governor of Hawaii to take up her offer of setting up his own task force."

Jay's eyes widen, but she says nothing. "Yeah, I know," Danny says in response. He seems pleased to have finally met someone of the same opinion as himself. "I was pissed, had the woman on speed dial. So he dragged me along with him to a suspect's house, got me shot through a window," Jay gives a smile, that's the one part of the story that she _does _remember. "Then we meet some people on the way, blah blah blah, and two days later, Five-0 is fully formed." He claps his hands together, leaning back in his seat.

After receiving permission to talk, Jay asks some questions about the rest of Five-0, and the cases they've been on recently, right up until Danny is forced to recount Steve's kidnap. He brushes over the details quickly, and Jay notices with slight suspicion just how much the story seems to affect Danny. The man is speaking in a disturbingly objective manner as nears the end.

"You have a picture?" she asks when he's finished.

Danny nods and takes out his cell phone again, quickly flicking to pictures of all three of his colleagues. "Kono and Chin, they're both natives." He changes the picture, "And this is Steve, Aquaman, Captain America, whatever you wanna call him."

Jay takes the phone for a closer look. "Wow, he's hot," she says appreciatively.

Danny gives her an eye roll. "Seriously? He's my boss," not that this minor detail makes any difference to_ their_ confrontations, "you don't think that's a _little _inappropriate."

Jay shrugs, "Sorry," and presses the _end call_ button to return to the top screen, only to find another picture of Steve.

As Danny notices what she's seen, he silently thanks Grace for switching it from one of Steve shirtless on the beach just a few days ago. The evidence is still incriminating. Suspicions mounting, Jay hands the phone back to him. "Why d'ya have him as your wallpaper?"

Danny shrugs, feeling like some kind of teenager as he frantically scours his mind for some other explanation to give. "Umm…he switched it yesterday. Self-obsessed bastard." The bitter words do nothing to hide Danny's affection, and Jay watches him as his face curves into a smile. He looks back to her, and he knows what she's going to ask before she's even asked it.

"Danny…what's going on?" Danny swiftly pushes himself to standing, holding out his arm to her.

"I've no idea what you're talking about." His words say one thing, his face says another as he struggles to push the smile from his face. "Umm, back to your place for crap TV and lunch?"

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has put this/me on alert so far, and a particularly big thank you to everyone has reviewed. I would LOVE to continue hearing from you, as well as those who haven't given their opinion yet…PRETTY PLEASE. :O)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N 1: Firstly, thank you for all the reviews for these first few chapters. It's been great to hear from you, and I want to hear from as many of you as possible :o)**

**A/N 2: Secondly, I've had a review or two and a couple of PMs asking about Steve's presence. Don't worry, he's coming! We'll be seeing him again soon, and I'm posting two chapters today so that he'll come sooner - I **_**may **_**do the same tomorrow if I'm in a good mood, depending on how many of you review these two chaps…**

It's a few minutes past one o'clock when Danny's cell phone rings, and he and Jay have just finished watching a re-run of _The Jerry Springer Show_; crap TV at its very best. Jay's parents are out for the day and they have the house to themselves.

Danny pulls out his phone as he watches his cousin butter some bread for lunch, pressing the accept button without even looking down. Before he knows what has hit him, a familiar voice comes down the line, low and gravelly. Danny answers with a none-too-inconspicuous tone and grins from ear to ear. "Ahh, hey babe." He checks his watch, "I wanted to call but I didn't think you'd be awake yet." Upon hearing his own choice of vocabulary and catching himself in the act of smiling stupidly, Danny clears his throat and turns to find Jay looking at him wearing a sceptical expression.

She turns back around, and Danny walks to the other side of the room as he lowers his voice to render himself out of earshot.

"Yeah the flight was fine….…Yeah I'm with my cousin, she's a _royal pain in the ass_." Danny purposefully raises his voice for that part, and Jay continues to listen to the one side of the conversation that she is able to hear. "Mmhmm….Yep, I'm gonna go see them tonight….…No, why? Do you want me to?...Ok babe….Yeah, love you too."

When Danny finally pockets his phone and turns back around to see how Jay is doing with lunch, he suppresses the almost-involuntary urge to make some kind of noise in shock of what confronts him. Jay – wearing a wicked smile – is less than a foot away, sporting a kitchen knife, which she holds a fair few inches from her cousin's chest.

"Ahh, what the fuck do you think you're doing?" he shouts, hands waving semi-manically whilst trying to maintain a distance from the sharp edge.

Jay lowers the knife to her side and smiles wider as Danny - looking concerned for his cousin's sanity - takes the knife and leans around her to set it on the cluttered coffee table. Analysing the situation, Danny realises that Steve and Jay would probably get on very well, what with their apparently similar tendencies to cause havoc with potentially lethal weapons.

As Danny's face calms, Jay laughs once before her face grows expressionless. "Seriously, cuz? I heard every single word of that conversation. You gonna tell me what's going on or what?"

Danny rubs a hand over his face and puts his palms to the ceiling. He knows that however hard he tries, he's going to have to tell her someday anyway. The detective can't quite bring himself to say the words, so with a wide grin, he simply nods and turns away, feeling self-conscious under her gaze. Jay moves with him though, and she surveys her cousin's face for a few more seconds before her expression begins to mirror his. "So, you and this Steve guy…you're…together?" Jay is still a little confused about this whole situation; she could have sworn that Danny hadn't been gay the last time she saw him, or any of the times before that, for that matter.

Danny nods, and he's more than a little relieved to see that his cousin seems undeterred by the revelation. "And you love him?"

Danny makes a face, averting his gaze for a couple of seconds. "I thought you heard the whole conversation."

She shrugs. "Well, yeah. Most of it." When Danny doesn't answer she persists. "Well?"

"Well what?" Jay knows full well that Danny isn't stupid; he knows exactly what she's talking about. He's avoiding the question on purpose, because truth be told, Danny has only ever admitted the feeling to three people; himself, Grace, and Steve.

"Do you love him?"

Danny looks down, embarrassed at the turn this conversation has taken. He shoves his hands in his pockets and looks up at her from under his lashes. "Yeah." Despite his absolute certainty on the subject, he shrugs as the word comes out.

Jay punches him hard on the shoulder. "In which case, congrats! Can't wait to meet him sometime."

In an effort to change the topic of discussion, Danny pulls his cell phone out and scrolls down the contact list. "I'm gonna call Mom now, you want to join us for dinner? You'd be doing me a favour." He smiles pleadingly and puts his hands together in a mimic of prayer.

"Yeah sure. Do you want to go back to the hotel after lunch, or shall we walk around together after lunch and a couple more hours of Jerry Springer?"

Danny nods. "The latter." They both grin at each other for a second before Danny presses the call button and holds his cell phone to his ear.

**A/N: Go ahead and read the next chapter :)**


	5. Chapter 5

Zoe and Richard Williams live in a three-bed house, with two stories and a floral front yard. Formerly a firefighter and a nurse, their residence is not grand, but they've done the best they can and a lifetime of hard work has paid off. The house is furnished with mostly neutral colours, and several pieces of inexpensive modern art work to make the empty spaces interesting to look at.

"Yeah, Grace is great, Mom. You should really come to the island sometime to visit, she'd love to see you." Danny loves his parents, of course, but things have become strained since he moved to Hawaii. So far, they've made little effort to visit the island, and they haven't exactly been understanding of Danny's busy work schedule.

"Yeah, we'd like that son." The four of them have been sat at the dining table for almost an hour and a half now, having only just finished dinner. The windows reveal it to be dark outside, and Danny is struggling with the monotonous conversation; he's glad Jayla tagged along.

As though in response to his increasing boredom, Danny's phone pings and vibrates in his pocket, and he eagerly pulls it out, hoping that it will provide some reason to excuse himself from the table. His face lights up as Steve's name appears. He opens the message and reads: _How's the evening? Everything is fine here. S - x._

Danny looks up to see the rest of the table staring at him, and he blushes slightly under their gaze, throwing his arms out and raising his eyebrows. "What?"

"Who's texting, Danny?" his mother asks from the head of the table. Danny is still distracted as he types out a response, and Jay takes the question without thought.

"It's probably his boyfr-." She almost slaps a palm to her own face as she winces at her slip. Danny's head shoots up and both his mother and father glance between he and his cousin as the silence continues. It's not until several seconds later that Jay attempts to finish the sentence. "Um, probably his partner."

"What did you say?" Danny's mother asks, picking up on the slip.

Jay blushes and clears her throat as she looks down at her empty plate, and it's crystal clear that his mother had not needed the end of the sentence to understand. "Steve, his partner."

Zoe shakes her head, and her face begins to take a colour of concern. "Jayla, stop messing around with me here. The first thing; what was the first thing you said?" When she doesn't respond, and her blush simply darkens, Zoe Williams' face evolves into one of alarm. "Boyfriend. You said it's probably his _boyfriend, _didn't you?" Danny's father just sits, his eyes fixed on a point in the paintwork of the wall, his face impassive as it gives nothing away.

Danny looks to his mother, then to Jay. "Hey, Jay." He places a comforting hand atop hers. "Don't worry, it's not your fault." They make eye contact, and despite the look of guilt that refuses to subside from her eyes, she gives him a nod of thanks. "Mom, I'm sorry. I was going to tell you." He _could _try to deny it; but what would be the point? Danny can't see this relationship ending any time soon – or _ever_.

Before he has a chance to finish, his mother has interrupted, her voice now loud and sharp. "Tell me what Danny!_? _What were you going to tell me?"

Danny grows increasingly infuriated by his mother's reaction, and he pushes himself up onto his feet, leaning across the table to close the gap between he and his mother. It's times like these where his anger gets the better of him; Steve uses a physical outlet, Danny a verbal. Once the man is riled, rarely does he shut up. "To tell you that I have a boyfriend!" And with that, Danny pushes himself away from the table, and storms towards the door to the balcony, pulling shut the curtain and obscuring himself as he goes. He knows immediately that he has over-reacted, but it's a sensitive topic and one that, in his opinion, should never be regarded with such narrow-mindedness in this day and age.

Danny feels the tears filling his eyes, and he wipes away an escapee as he leans against the safety rail and throws his head into his hands. He's not sure what's come over him, this isn't how he had imagined the conversation going. He knew all along that this his mother's initial reaction would be similar to this, but what he hadn't predicted was the extent to which she would go (he had thought disappointment or surprise would be the prevailing emotion; not anger), or the degree of his reaction. He hated his mother less for the reaction she had exhibited, and more for the judgemental tone and expression she had taken despite never having even met Steve. As for his father, Danny doesn't know _what _to think.

He stands alone for ten minutes, and hears nothing from inside the house. No shouts, no movement; just eerie silence.

It's now that Jay comes out, and a couple of tears streak down her cheeks as she pulls back the curtain and steps out onto the deck of the balcony. Danny turns to her, and immediately takes her face in his hands, wiping away the tears and pulling her into his arms. "Shhh, Jay. Don't worry about it, I'm not angry."

And they stay like that for another few minutes. "You mind if I stay out here with you for a while? We don't have to talk." Danny pulls away and nods, "Of course." His voice wavers a little, and he knows that the only thing that will cheer him up at the moment is the sound of _his _voice. He and Jayla stand close together, both leaning against the railing as Danny pulls out his cell and calls the number that is sure to make him feel better, if only for a few minutes.

**A/N: We'll be hearing from Steve in the next chapter, and seeing him in the one following that. Get reviewing! I wanna hear from A LOT of you. Love y'all. x**


	6. Chapter 6

**IMPORTANT: As of today, I'm changing my PenName, and I'm now listed as W5Lex. So, I'm still the same person, now read on . . . **

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_He and Jayla stand close together, both leaning against the railing as Danny pulls out his cell and calls the number that is sure to make him feel better, if only for a few minutes._

Steve answers on the second ring, and Danny is still fighting hard to keep back the tears. "Steve?"

Steve recognises the upset in his voice immediately, and his tone is one of concern as he responds. "Yeah." He pauses, and Danny says nothing; something is wrong. "Danny, are you alright?"

The cop is silent for a couple of seconds, content with hearing the sound of his boyfriend's breathing. As he takes the call, Steve is lying on the sofa, watching a mindless soap opera. But on hearing the broken breaths of his partner, he pushes himself up to sitting, and the smile disappears from his face. "Yeah, I'm fine babe."

"Danny," he warns, completely aware that the man is lying to him.

"I'm fine babe, really." There's a pause and Danny lets out a resigned sigh. "Jay knows about us, and she accidentally let slip at dinner."

"Oh."

"I'm fine, honestly. I just needed to hear the sound of your voice."

Steve frowns at the ease with which Danny admits his vulnerability, sighs and leans forwards onto his knees; he'll never get the honest-to-God-truth out of Danny Williams. Given the context, the detective's tone says it all; he's _not _okay. "Danny, who's with you?"

"No one, just Jay."

"Hand me over." Danny hesitates, worried of what he's going to say to his cousin. "_Danny_, hand me over."

Slowly, he hands the cell phone to Jay, who is now sat at his feet, her face largely rid of the tears. "Steve wants to talk to you." Danny shrugs and Jay cautiously takes the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's Steve. You know who I am, right?" Jay nods to herself, the low, gruff voice is a perfect match to the photo Danny showed her earlier.

"Yeah, I know."

Steve nods to the empty room, looking away swiftly as he catches a glimpse of his still heavily bruised face in the screen of the television he has just turned off. "Okay, Jay. I need you to be totally honest with me. Look at Danny and tell me what you see. He says he's fine; I need to know if he's telling the truth." As the conversation continues, Danny tunes out to the surrounding noise and stares aimlessly into the dark sky.

"He's not. He may _think _he's fine, but he's not. You probably haven't noticed, but he does this thing, and it only happens when he's _really _upset, where he manages to ignore every_one_ and every_thing _and he looks a little as though he's fallen into a trance."

Steve knows the look, it happened the day he had been kidnapped. Danny had told him he'd been thinking about the hours in which he thought he'd lost him. "Yeah, I know it. If you asked him, do you think he'd come home?"

Jay shakes her head, not that anyone's watching. "No, not until he's given his Mom a chance to calm down and tried again. And that will take at least a day or two."

_Stubborn bastard_. Steve stays silent for a few seconds as he pulls his open laptop onto his legs from the coffee table, and wedges the phone between his shoulder and ear as he types and clicks. "Steve?"

"Yeah, I'm still here. Just give me one second." There is a pause of almost a minute. "I'm on the Hawaiian Air website, and there's a flight to Newark International that leaves in two hours. Should I book it?"

Jay pauses, looking up to her cousin and watching as the tears begin to fall again. Danny wipes them away with his sleeve, but he can't wipe away the feeling. Jay returns her eyes to the floor. "Yeah, I think maybe you should."

"Okay, then I need to pack and get to the airport. The flight touches down at eight AM local time. Will I be able to get a cab?"

"Yeah, there will be a ton of them outside the exit." She lowers her voice slightly on the off chance that Danny has begun to listen to the conversation, though in the stark silence, it won't make hearing her any harder. "What should I tell Danny?"

Steve has been filling in the information on the website as he speaks, and he presses the final button, completing an online check-in and sending his boarding pass to the printer. He rubs a hand over his face as he tries to decide how much to reveal to Danny. "Umm, nothing. Don't tell him anything. He'll only try to talk me out of coming."

Jay bites her lip. "Okay. Do you have the address of the hotel?"

"Yeah, thanks Jay."

"No problem, I just hope you manage to cheer him up."

Steve looks down. "Yeah…me too. Thanks again." With that, the phone clicks dead and Danny and Jay are once again left in silence. Jay stands up and puts an arm to her cousin's shoulder, pulling him out of his daydream.

He pockets the phone and they both turn as the door opens and they are joined by another body. On sight of Danny's father, Richard, Jay slips back inside, and she leaves without another word, resolving to call Danny tomorrow when he'll hopefully be feeling better.

Danny turns back to the railing, and Richard doesn't hesitate in joining him, as they stay silent for a few minutes whilst they gaze up at the stars. Richard was a firefighter, and so his masculinity is important to him. As much as it shames him to admit it, up until a few years before his retirement, Richard may have felt differently about his son's revelation. It was a young lad named Omar Phoenix who had changed his outlook, and he'd never said a disrespectful word of homosexuality since.

Omar had been the first openly gay man that he had come across on the service; he had never tried to hide it, never tried to deny it, and though when the kid had first joined he'd thought him a fool, Richard was glad he hadn't been the one to open his mouth in insult. Because despite the office bullying, despite the lack of respect, and despite the fact that people seemed to think it made him a lesser man, Omar Phoenix had proved himself numerous times, saving countless lives, and had paid the ultimate price. After meeting the young man, after working alongside him, and after becoming friends with him, Richard had come to realise that sexual preference did not dictate who someone is, and Omar had been teaching him that up until the day he had died.

Finally, Richard – his face still impassive – turns to Danny. His son refuses to make eye contact, but the older man begins to talk regardless. "Danny, I want you to know that I don't side with your mother…I know you think that this will change things between us, but son, I'm as proud of you know as I've ever been, and I love you. Know matter what."

Danny turns to his father, and just as another tear begins to make its way down his cheek, his expression morphs into a frown. Danny hadn't expect this, and he just watches his Dad for a few moments to determine whether he's imagined that little speech, or if he really _is _okay with this. Danny moves forwards, and he allows his father to envelope him in his embrace.

They pull apart after several minutes. "Danny, promise me you'll come back tomorrow. Give your mother some time to calm down. I'll try talking to her about it tonight, but promise me you'll come back. It's been too long."

Danny makes the promise and walks though the house to the front door. "See you tomorrow, Dad. Love you."

**A/N: And on to the next…**


	7. Chapter 7

Steve keeps a bag especially for situations like these. Okay, maybe not for situations _exactly _like these, but it should serve the purpose just fine. He has an hour and half to get to the airport, and so he heads straight to the cupboard under the stairs, and pulls out the camouflage holdall that sits there. Steve knows that he doesn't have enough time to go through the proper channels that will enable him to carry his firearm on board, so he pulls that and the knives out of the armoured pocket of the bag, replacing the objects with an iPod and a magazine for the flight.

His days still currently being spent relaxing due to the existing injuries from the kidnap, he is forced to tackle the stairs one at a time, after which, he changes from his current attire of sweatpants, to dark combats, a tee, a button down shirt which he leaves open, and a pair of boots before he packs a toothbrush, grabs his phone, and makes for the door with a little over an hour to get to the gate.

The Camaro having been dropped off by Chin the previous day, Steve slips in and starts the engine as he sends him a text to ask him to do the same today. Finally on his way, Steve speeds in the direction of the airport with Danny on his mind.

**H**

**5**

**0**

"Have a nice flight." Steve doesn't like the way the too-friendly female flight attendant seductively waves him on board (obviously she doesn't mind the heavy bruising and patches of blood that taint Steve's face), but he brushes the minor annoyance aside and pushes his bag into the overhead luggage compartment, before sinking into his seat with only his iPod and magazine for entertainment.

Steve checks the time, remembering that the local time will be 8AM when he arrives in Jersey. With that in mind, he lets his head rock back against the rear of the seat, and closes his eyes. With worry about Danny clouding his mind, and with the desperate need to be able to stay awake when he finally reaches him, Steve somehow manages to will himself to sleep before the plane has even taken off.

**H**

**5**

**0**

The flight touches down a few minutes early, and as passengers continue to empty the plane, Steve sets a fast pace as he walks towards the indicated exit. It's not long at all before Steve has hailed a cab and given the driver the address, and by nine o'clock, he finds himself outside of the room containing the man he loves.

**A/N: Love it? Hate it?**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry, this chapter is slightly shorter than usual…**

Without a key to let himself in, Steve knocks on the door. When there's no answer, he knocks again. Loud. It's this second knock that wakes Danny, and he scrambles around in the bed for a few seconds before making his way to the door, eyes still feeling heavy.

All too aware that he's wearing nothing but a pair of boxers and a tee, Danny levels his eye with the peephole, only to find someone staring right back at him. Without further hesitation, he pulls open the door to the hotel room with a wide smile. Under normal circumstances, Danny would be seriously pissed; pissed that Steve thinks him weak enough to be unable to cope for a couple of days alone, but the relief washes over him and he admits to himself that, for once, the man is right. Steve wonders to himself whether it is he or the beginning of a new day that has lightened Danny's mood, and he takes a step into the room, throwing his bag to the ground and shutting the door behind him as he opens his arm to the shorter man.

Danny's smile fades but it's still not overtaken by anything other than comfort, and Steve doesn't release his partner until he's sure that it's what he wants. Danny looks curiously into his eyes, and his blue orbs are still alight with shock. "Babe, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Hey, this thing we have, it's a two-way street babe." Danny looks back blankly. "You want me to go?" Steve offers with a smirk.

Danny shakes his head and takes a step forwards. Their bodies are close, and the blond rests his forehead against Steve's to savour the moment, before placing a strong hand behind his neck and pulling his lips down until they meet in a soft, slow kiss.

Danny licks his lips as they pull apart, and Steve's hand refuses to move from its place at the small of his back for several more seconds. "I'm gonna take a shower." He pulls Danny along with him into the bathroom, feeling he should probably answer that first question sooner rather than later, before the happiness at Steve's arrival begins to wear off. "I asked Jay how you were, and she thought you could do with a friendly face. So I booked the first flight out of Hawaii and told Chin to call if anything comes up." There's something that Steve hadn't thought about until he boarded the plane, and he wants to address it rather than have it cause any problems later. His shirt and pants already removed, he turns to his boyfriend. "And Danny, I didn't come here to try and cause trouble, I didn't come here with the expectation of being introduced to the family, I came here for you. Hell, if you want me to stay in the hotel room the entire time, I won't go anywhere." With another kiss, he kicks off the last of his clothes and ducks under the steaming shower.

When he emerges from the bathroom he has a towel wrapped around his waist, clean shaven and damp. As he makes his way over to Danny who lies calmly on the bed, Steve throws an arm over his shoulder, trying to work out a kink in his back; no doubt a result of his airplane slumber. "Uncomfortable flight?" Danny asks.

"Aren't they all?" Danny nods knowingly. If the guy wasn't so damn tall, he may not have quite so much trouble in confined spaces. Mostly dry, Steve pulls a pair of Calvin Klein's up to his hips and towel dries his hair.

"Hey, come here and lie down," Danny orders.

Steve frowns, but does he is told just as he realises what Danny has in mind. He lies chest down on the mattress, turning his face to the side and resting his head on the pillow as Danny's warm hands make first contact with his back. Steve lets out a clearly audible sigh of pleasure as his partner's hands press hard into the muscles of his shoulders and back, kneading away the discomfort the best way he knows how. Five minutes later and Steve is about to let out a groan of complaint at the removal of Danny's hands. But before he has a chance to do anything but open his eyes, the hands have moved down to his legs, and the sensation is glorious as his strong fingers work forcefully with the flesh.

"Any better?" Danny asks as he removes his hands from Steve's legs.

"Mmhmm." He rolls over, and Danny moves to hover above him, wasting no time in leaning in for a long kiss.

Danny begins to pull away after a few minutes, but just as his lips leave Steve's, the taller man's arms rise from the bed to pull him back down. It's less than a minute later that there is a knock on the door.

**A/N: That last sentence ended up being much more ominous than I had intended, so don't gett too excited.**


	9. Chapter 9

Steve and Danny both give a groan and an amused smile, glad to be back in each other's company but reluctant for their time to be interrupted by whoever is at the door.

Danny gets up and goes to look through the peephole; it's Jayla. "Wait one second, Jay," he calls. He lowers his voice to talk to Steve. "My cousin. Put some clothes on before she regrets saying the words that caused you to get your sorry ass on an airplane to come all the way out here." Danny pulls on a pair of jeans and waits as Steve follows suit, slipping into his cargo pants and raising a white tee over his head before pulling a navy shirt around his shoulders and rolling the sleeves to above the elbow.

Danny opens the door with a smile, only slightly diminished by the reminder of last night that Jay's presence brings. "You are up _way _too early my friend." He greets her with a quick hug and pulls the jacket from around her shoulders, hanging it on a hook by the door.

Steve shuts the door to the wardrobe and turns to face the woman he has thus far only spoken to on the phone, and at her look is reminded he should probably make some effort to explain the current state of his face and arms, though the gashes on his arms are all but gone. Danny gets there first, using rolling hand gestures as he talks. "You remember I told you we had a bit of a hostage slash kidnap situation a few days ago."

Jayla nods quickly and begins to wonder what the hell it is they do over there at Five-0.

Steve steps forwards and offers a hand to his lover's cousin. "Steve. And you must be Jay, nice to meet you."

Jay shoots an appreciative look Danny's way, and Steve chooses to purposefully ignore it as he takes back his hand. "He's taller than I imagined, and buffer."

Danny rolls his eyes. "Please, the _last _thing he needs is an ego boost." In truth, Jay had had no idea what to expect of his cousin's new boyfriend. Yes, he had shown her a picture, but in reality, an image doesn't give much away. The man she has just met is tall – maybe six-two – and his ruggedly handsome face is indeed plagued by healing bruises and several gashes, the largest of which is held together by five steri-strips. His toughened look probably has something to do with the Navy background, and Jay can't help but think that the couple certainly break the gay stereotype a little, and that can only be a good thing.

Steve looks back to her with a smile. "Oh – and hey, thanks for helping me out yesterday."

Jay smiles and glances at the composed-looking Danny. "No problem; seems like maybe it was just the thing he needed."

Danny nods in acceptance of that, and Steve gives him a hard nudge. "Ya hear that Danno, I'm just what you need."

When the couple have stopped with the mocking looks, Jay watches them in amusement. "I thought only Grace gets to call you that."

Danny nods and uses a finger to scratch his ear as he rocks back onto his heels. "Yeah, try telling _him _that."

Steve shrugs and clicks his tongue, and the three of them move further into the room, Danny and Steve sitting across from each other at the tiny table as they angle their chairs towards the armchair which is claimed by Jay. "So, Danny. How you feeling?" Jay asks once they're settled.

Danny looks down. He's been enjoying the diversion _away_ from last night. "Fine, I guess. I'll go round to see my Dad after lunch."

Jay remembers Richard's entrance the previous night. "Oh yeah. Your Dad would be a terrible actor you know, his face could have been carved in stone and I wouldn't have noticed the difference. How'd he take it?"

Jay and Danny laugh, Steve just looks puzzled. "Yeah um," he uses a couple of fingers to scratch at the stubble on his chin. "Surprisingly well, actually. You know what, he really didn't seem to mind." Danny had certainly been shocked by the attitude his father had taken.

"That's good, he'll talk some sense into your Mom. Y'know she's out this afternoon with Mom and Aunt Cesca. You should take Steve with you."

Steve looks up at the sound of his name, looking a little alarmed. "Hey, Danny." He holds up his hands. "I don't wanna cause any more trouble than I already have."

Danny shrugs and smiles. "Aww, that's cute McGarrett," he mocks, "I'll go call him now." Danny gets up, resting his palm on Steve's shoulder for less than a second as he passes on his way across the tiny room and into the bedroom.

Steve smiles at Jay now they're alone, and shifts a little in his seat. "You know, I can see how much he loves you just from the look in his eyes. And I have to say, Zoe is a bitch for the way she behaved. You guys look like you love each other a hell of a lot more than most straight couples I know."

Steve isn't entirely sure what the best response for such a statement is. He settles for addressing only the first part. "Yeah, well Danny, uhhh, he's special." Jayla nods knowingly, she can see the history of pain behind Steve McGarrett's eyes, and she has a funny feeling that she would _still_ have seen it had Danny not filled her in on their first meeting.

Danny re-enters the room a couple of minutes later to find the pair laughing. He waits for them to quiet and leans against the back of Steve's chair. "Okay. Jay," he points to her, "Dad says Uncle is looking for you, so you'd better get home. _I _will be heading over to see Dad at half-two-ish. And you, Steve McGarrett," he places a hand back on Steve's shoulder as the seated man looks up at him, "will be coming with me. Dad said he wants to meet you."

Steve nods, and though he'll never admit it until _after _the fact, Danny is quietly confident that if the whole same-sex thing really proves not to be a problem with his father, then Steve and the ex-firefighter will get like a house on fire; _no pun intended._

**A/N: Now for the bad news; there won't be a new chapter tomorrow. I'm sorry but I simply won't have the time. So I'll see you in a couple of days for the next chapter…keep reviewing :o)**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Sorry for the absence, here's the next chapter…**

In the comfortable anonymity of a heavily populated city, Steve doesn't hesitate in taking Danny's hand as they walk down the street together. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asks with a squeeze of the hand as they near the house. Danny is wrapped up in a warm jacket, but Steve, rarely having lived anywhere cold enough for need of warmth other than in the navy – and he doesn't think wearing a camouflage jacket is a good idea – wears only a light jacket. He looks like he should be cold, but he's always run a little hot.

Danny smiles up at the ex-SEAL. "Yeah, it's gonna be fine." Steve is unsure whether he's trying to persuade him or himself, but he chooses not to determine the distinction. "Just be yourself; be straight with him. He's gonna like you; I can tell." Steve still looks unconvinced. "Hey, stop looking miserable. A wise guy once told me, love is a two-way street."

"Yeah well a wise guy once told _me_; _Don't quote me to me._" There's no denying it, Steve is nervous about how this is gonna go. But he's never been one to let nerves get the better of him, so he simply smiles as Danny knocks on the door of his childhood home, simultaneously rubbing soft, soothing circles into the back of his hand.

It doesn't take long for the door to fly open, revealing a man with a vague resemblance to Danny. Richard Williams has certainly passed his eyes on to his eldest son, and the stocky physique. Danny's father looks down to their joined hands with a look approaching curiosity; in any case, Steve is relieved to see that there appears to be no sign of disapproval on the man's face. With his gender now apparently having passed the test, the rest is up to Steve.

Danny releases his hand and steps forward the hug his father, and Steve doesn't miss the appraising look that his father gives him over his boyfriend's shoulder. Danny pulls away and claps a hand to Steve's shoulder. "Dad, Steve; Steve, Dad."

Danny's Dad nods and gives a crinkly smile as he offers a hand that Steve shakes. The older man speaks first, "It's nice to meet you Steve, just call me Rick."

Steve nods and follows Danny into the house, removing his jacket and hanging it on the banister only after watching Danny do the same. The three of them walk straight through to the living room, where Rick settles back into his armchair and picks up the remote to mute the game show playing on the television.

"Hey, Dad," Danny starts, "Thanks for last night."

Danny's father gives a single nod, his eyes assuring Danny that he is truly okay with this as he turns to the object of his son's affections. Steve and Danny sit down on the couch opposite, just about close enough that their clothes brush with movement. Rick struggles with the slightly awkward moment, but it doesn't take him long to provide an icebreaker. "So, you boys work together, right?"

Danny nods. "Yeah, that's right."

Steve follows his partner's lead. "Yeah, umm. I Ieft the Navy a year back to setup a task force in Hawaii on request of the governor. And I, um.., met" – understatement of the century – "Danny the very same day."

Danny frowns and turns to Steve, his face crinkled as his father looks on in amusement. He knows Danny; and he knows that look. "I'm not sure that's _quite_ how it went." Steve grins as Danny turns back to face the armchair. "You see, Dad. This guy," the hand gestures waste no time in coming, and Danny warns himself to tread carefully, "This guy turns up at an active crime scene" - Danny exercises a purposeful neglect to mention the nature of the crime scene - "unannounced, and there is a…" - he looks to his partner questioningly - "let's call it an altercation."

Steve nods, wide-eyed and innocent. "Yeah, that works."

"Okay, so there is an…_altercation_ when I find him disrupting the crime scene, and we pull our guns on each other. He insists he has the clearance to be there, I tell him I'm investigating the case, et cetera, et cetera. And then, before I know it, twelve hours later, I've been blindsided by a call to the governor, recruited by the maniac for the new task force he's been asked to put together, and the guy has got me shot and blasted backwards through a window." He pauses, watching his Dad before turning back to Steve. "That sound about right, babe?"

Steve looks to the ceiling, feigning serious thought before shrugging. "Yeah, I guess. You missed the part where you punched me though." Danny nods, he and Steve's faces both expressionless as they turn back to Rick.

Richard Williams sits motionless for a couple of seconds before letting out a long grumble of a laugh. "What's so funny?" Danny asks.

Rick shakes his head. "Nothing." It's an unconvincing response considering the laughter is still subsiding. "Sorry, I mean. Just…you two. I can see how this happened. The relationship I mean." Seeing his son happy for the first time in years puts Rick at ease. "And you guys have been together a couple of _months_ already?" Danny and Steve both look to each other, then nod. "Wow, I'd have thought you'd have gotten over the honeymoon phase by now. But you still talk as though it's early days." The partners look to each other again, wondering what the old man is thinking. Rick watches them for a moment and notes a few things. Sure, the playful, teasing conversation and borderline flirting show they're deliriously happy in each other's company – even after two months together – yet Rick can't help but notice the ease with which they move around each other.

They sit close together on the sofa, which is indication enough that they're comfortable with each other. But it's more than that; it's the way they move, and the way they interact. When Danny moves, Steve moves; when Danny talks Steve looks; when Danny laughs, Steve smiles; and the list goes on. And what's more, you only have to watch them for a minute or two to see that the relationship is one of equals; Danny has all the same tells. And though by the state of Steve's face Richard would hazard a guess at his son having been the carer of the two of late, he can see by the change in Danny's mood since the previous day that Steve has flown in overnight to comfort him. Rick sits back in his chair, and finally addresses something that he has chosen not to up until now. "So, Steve. What happened to your face?"


	11. Chapter 11

_Rick sits back in his chair, and finally addresses something that he has chosen not to up until now. "So, Steve. What happened to your face?"_

Steve offers a brief explanation of the _minor_ kidnapping incident, and silently hopes that the fact that he seems to be a danger magnet – though Danny would say he's more of a danger _seeker _– will severely dampen his opinions of him. Seemingly, it doesn't. Satisfied with the explanation and apparently impressed with the lengths that the team endure to help victims, Rick sends Danny in the direction of the kitchen to make some drinks.

"And you used to be in the Navy?" Richard remembers Danny mentioning it before, and Steve has the military look about him.

Steve nods. "Yes sir, after I graduated the academy I spent some time in the SEALs, then transferred to Naval Intelligence. You mind me asking what you do, sir? Danny's probably mentioned it but you know what he's like."

Richard nods with a smile. Steve seems to have quickly acquainted himself with the ramblings of his son; and what's more, it doesn't seem to bother him. He has a funny feeling that the guy was good at the job. "Yeah, I know _exactly _what he's like. I retired a few years back, but I worked for New Jersey Fire Department."

Steve nods, and smiles broadly as he leans forward to rest his forearms on his knees. "Ahh, I wanted to be a firefighter when I was younger…I think it came somewhere inbetween pirate and ghost hunter." Richard laughs, before his face composes itself and he leans closer to lower his voice.

"Hey, tell me. How's Danny holding up? He seemed pretty upset last night."

Steve nods and lets his own smile fade. "Yeah, I mean, I only arrived this morning. He seems okay. I think he's relieved that you were so…" He searches for the right word; "understanding of things."

Rick nods and leans back ever so slightly. "Thanks for coming all the way out here. I can see it means a lot to Danny; you obviously know how to handle him."

Steve returns his back to the sofa. "Yeah, took a year to get there though." Rick and Steve laugh as Danny re-enters the room looking self-conscious, and Steve quickly realises that he and Richard Williams are going to get along just fine.

"You guys were talking about me, weren't you?" he accuses as he hands coffee to his father and Steve, leaving the room for a few seconds more to go back for his own.

Rick nods. "Yep, sure were." Steve gives a laugh and as Danny sits back down even closer to him than before, the older man winks at him.

As the afternoon wears on, and the three men continue to tell stories and share news of the past year, their conversation is punctuated by bouts of laughter and fond gestures. Steve and Danny are both hysterical by the time the ex-fireman has finished telling his stories of witty responses from fire escapees roused by the nerves of a dangerous situation. Though not funny at the time, it's hard not to laugh at some of the things people say…

_(__Firefighter: Do you know where you're at?_

_Escapee: Yes_

_Firefighter: Where's that?_

_Escapee: On the ground._

_Firefighter: Okay, where are you on the ground at?_

_Escapee: Between the road and that house, duh... are you retarded or something?)_

And as the evening sets in, and the light begins to darken, the situation grows more and more familiar, and Danny grows more and more comfortable with having his father and Steve in the same room together. It's not until almost seven o'clock that the sound of the door to the living room startles them out of their conversation. The opening of the front door apparently not enough to thoroughly disturb them, Rick tries to diffuse the argument that he knows is just seconds off, greeting his wife as he pushes himself up to peck her on the cheek.

"Honey, I wasn't expecting you home for another hour. How was your day?" As Zoe Williams glances at the position Steve and Danny hold and have been unable to alter in the few seconds warning they've had – Steve's arm resting along the back of the sofa, Danny simultaneously sitting close, close enough that she knows exactly who the stranger is – her eyes darken, and her features take a turn for the furious.


	12. Chapter 12

Danny leaps up from his seat, and Rick maintains his position between them all. And Steve, well Steve has no fucking idea _what _to do with himself. The only one in the room still sitting, he moves to stand up just as Zoe lets rip. Instinctively, he wants to defend Danny, to shut his mother down before she has the chance to do any damage; but he senses it's not his pace right now.

"Danny! Daniel Williams! You ungrateful bastard! Get that man out of my house…NOW" Steve winces at the profanity and his apparent cue to leave, and Danny's face falls as he realises that his mother's stance in this argument remains very much unchanged – he chooses not to bring up the reality that in fact, technically, he's not a bastard; his parents were well and truly married when they had him.

"Mom, for the first time in _years _I am actually happy! Why can't you just be happy_ for_ me?" Danny fights to hold onto the remaining scraps of self-control, but he knows what's coming.

If Steve and Danny think that his mother has reached the height of her outburst, they're wrong. "_Happy! _Danny, I have spent my entire life trying to do good by you. And I have tried so bloody hard to make sure that you turned out a respectable young man, only for you to shack up with some-" But Danny's mother is robbed of the chance to finish.

Steve is about to say something – he's not entirely sure what; maybe offer to leave, though it would more likely turn into a defence of his partner – when Danny inevitably lets his temper get the better of him. Forcefully enough that he imposes movement, but soft enough that the action can't be interpreted as malice, Danny puts a hand to his father's chest and nudges him out of the way. "Hey Mom, don't you dare!" Danny reverts to full-rant mode – eyes blazing despite the long, deliberate blinks; his body leaning forward in a posture not meant to threaten, but to make up for what he loses in height; hands flying everywhere in an attempt to provide that extra something to his words; and a clear voice that he raises to a volume loud enough to send people running. "Don't you dare speak to him like that!" Steve knows better than to attempt an intervention during one of Danny's turns for the worse, but this time his protective streak gets the better of him, and he puts a hand to his back as he leans over his shoulder to mutter something quietly into his ear.

"Hey, Danno. Don't do this, don't screw up your family be-" But before Steve has had a chance to finish, Danny has softly shaken him off, less than willing to have his mother be so fucking rude to a guest of the household.

And so Danny continues, his offense apparently having stepped up a gear as indicated by the restless movement of his feet. "If you want to stand there and shout me down, and have me shunned by this damn family because of some fucking prehistoric and prejudiced view you hold, then that's fine," Danny pokes a finger in Steve's direction, "but don't you _dare _try and pin this on him."

Zoe opens her mouth to speak, but Danny's not giving up that easily. "You know what; I'm ashamed. I'm ashamed that you, _Mom, _possess the utter disregard and lack of respect for a man you know nothing about; for a man that, had you taken an hour to get to know, is pretty fucking brilliant." Steve runs a hand over his face and through his hair, because no matter how deliriously happy it may make him to hear Danny get all protective over him, he can't ignore the fact that if Danny goes too far, a family will be torn apart because of him. "This man has fought half his fucking life" – not strictly accurate, but Steve isn't going to bring him up on it – "to protect people like you; he's almost died because of people like you; and hell, he'll continue doing what he's doing, all for people _exactly like you_. "

Danny pauses momentarily for breath. "If you can't be civil to the man I love, then tell me right fucking now. Because whether you like it or not, I am _in love _with him. I want to live with him, I want to grow old with him, and I want to do everything inbetween with him. And I am _begging _you, as much as I love you, and as much as I want for you to be proud of me, please don't make me choose; because, Mom, it will be him, it will always be Steve."

**A/N: Yes, I decided to be kind and upload two chapters today…I was a bit worried about this chapter, but I think it turned out pretty good. We've been quieter on the review front recently and this is a fairly important scene, so I'd love to hear how everyone thought Danny handled his mother. :o)**


	13. Chapter 13

"_If you can't be civil to the man I love, then tell me right fucking now. Because whether you like it or not, I am in love with him. I want to live with him, I want to grow old with him, and I want to do everything inbetween with him. And I am begging you, as much as I love you, and as much as I want for you to be proud of me, please don't make me choose; because, Mom, it will be him, it will always be Steve."_

As the words leave Danny's mouth in the harsh, cutting tone that is so much worse than Steve has ever had the pleasure of being on the end of, Steve feels his stomach knot, his breathing stop, and his heart skip a beat as the room turns silent. Forgotten entirely up until this point, Steve is surprised to find that Danny's father looks…_impressed._

Danny watches as, finally, his mother begins to look like she understands the words he's saying. Unable to look at her without having another outburst, Danny turns around and rests a hand on Steve's chest. The words he says come out low and quiet. "Hey, babe. Do me a favour and give me some time. I need to talk to my Mom alone." He glances in his father's direction, and they both nod before Steve allows Rick to lead him in the direction of the dining room and opens the door to the balcony.

As the cold Jersey air washes over him, Steve leans on the rail of the balcony and lets his head descend into his hands. He's more than a little surprised when a hand claps him on the back, and he slowly straightens out as it becomes clear that they're not going to spend their time out here in silence.

"You know, I'll give you three to one odds that Danny is in there right now, using his mother's past against her." Steve looks up, his eyes asking for further explanation. Richard Williams smiles; a further element of Danny enters his eyes, and he lets out half a laugh. "You know, when Danny's mother and I were young, her parents weren't all that pleased in _her _choice of partner. Zoe's Mom and Dad _hated _me." He shifts position and leans backwards against the wall of the house. Steve turns around to face him properly, leaning back against the railings. "I knew from age eight exactly what I wanted to do, and I wasn't the brightest of kids, not like Danny. I tried hard in school, and I lasted as long as I could without going out of my mind with boredom, but I gave up at fourteen. I did nothing but odd jobs for a few years until I could join the fire department, but her parents wanted to hear none of it."

Steve smiles – he was obviously just as stubborn as his son - "And what happened?"

Rick shrugs. "They got used to it. They never _liked _me, but they put up with me. And for Zoe, that was enough." Only now does the dull thumping of loud voices from inside the house begin to subside, but neither man points it out. "And don't think that Danny won't make sure to mention that because, damn, I've never seen him so furious in his entire life. He must really bloody love you." There's silence for a few seconds, and Steve isn't quite sure what to say to that. He knows Danny loves him – though he often has a hard time understanding why – but it hardly seems appropriate to say so; so he doesn't.

Eventually, Rick breaks the silence. "You know, I'll admit, I thought I would have a little more trouble with this" – he's dragging a finger between Steve and the house – "than I'm having right now. I know that Zoe hasn't managed to see it yet, but try not to worry. I'm sure she'll get over it. And when she does, she's gonna see that someone like you, is exactly who Danny needs. You complement each other well; and it seems like maybe you know each other well enough to be able to provide the right support to each other at exactly the right time." There's another short pause, this time to allow Rick to form a sentence he feels comfortable verbalising; Steve has a feeling that Danny's father is the more sensitive of his parents. "You two may not notice it, but everything – the way one of you looks, or talks, even the way you move – seems to centre around the other."

Steve stares into space for a few seconds before deciding that telling Rick how he feels may not be such a disaster. "I love him. And Grace."

"I know. And Danny has made it quite clear he loves you. And I'd be willing to bet my bottom dollar that Grace feels the same."

The two men stand in comfortable, agreeable silence for another couple of minutes, but neither makes any attempt to move. "So, you've lived in Hawaii your whole life then, huh? What about your parents?

Steve nods with a reminiscent smile as his mind darts back to the early days with his parents. "Yeah. I left the island for school and the navy, but Hawaii is my home. And my parents…" – he pauses for a long intake of breath – "…that _incident_" – he forms the quote marks in the air – "that happened the first day we met." Steve pauses to make sure Danny's Dad remembers; he nods. "Well he pulled a gun on me for disrupting evidence. It was my father's house, and Danny was investigating his murder when I took over the case and asked him to join Five-0."

Rick nods, sympathy clouding his eyes. "And your mother…?"

Steve takes in another breath. "Died when I was sixteen. At the time, it was believed to be a car accident, but turns out she was murdered in a related incident."

"I'm very sorry to hear that."

Steve makes an effort to ignore the comment; the last thing he needs right now is a breakdown. "And then I have a sister…Mary. She's a bit of a free spirit, but she comes to visit every now and then." Steve looks back up at Danny's father. "You know, you should come out to the island some time, we'd love to have you." Steve makes the effort to leave the invitation open to Danny's mother, and despite Danny having already invited them multiple times, Richard Williams thanks him; he'd like to visit the island soon.

And as Steve and Richard stand there for a further fifteen minutes, with the silence continually being interrupted by conversation enjoyed by both participants, Steve reflects on Danny's father. It's only now that he realises just _how _similar he is to his son. For starters, he's receptive and emotional (certainly more so than his wife), just like Danny. At first Steve had teased Danny about the slightly feminine attribute, but it didn't take long for him to begin to appreciate the quality; and Danny had brought out the emotional side to Steve, something which only brought them closer together.

It's not just that though, there are other things; the dirty blond hair, the eye rolls and use of his body to further his speech (though Steve is pretty sure that no one will _ever _be able to match up to Danny in _that _department), the piercing blue eyes, and, among other things, the accepting personality. Because this past afternoon, Steve can't help but feel that this man – this relative stranger – has accepted him into his life without question or insult. Granted, Danny hadn't initially welcomed Steve in quite the same way, but once he had broken down the initial walls keeping him out of Danny's life, that acceptance – control issues, shattered past, and airplane load of baggage – really isn't so different.

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews to the last chapter! They make my day :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Two chapters today, because I'm feeling nice :o)**

Danny joins Steve and his father on the balcony a half hour later, and as Steve stands with his back to the railings, arms spread along them, the detective gravitates towards him and stands in front of his arm. The circumstances now a little more comfortable, Steve allows instinct to take over and brings his arm up, placing his left hand on Danny's left shoulder. Rick barely bats an eyelid as he seeks his son's gaze.

Danny slips his own arm behind Steve's back and settles there as he answers his father's unasked question. "Umm," he runs a hand over his tense face. "She's…better I guess. She seems calmer about it. Could you just…talk to her? I tried mentioning how Gran hated you," Rick winks at Steve, "but she shut me down. She might listen to you though."

"Sure. And look, don't worry about it Danny. She'll come around. Whether she decides to accept this now, or later, is up to her, but she loves you, and I doubt it will take very long when she realises that this is what you want." He pauses, lets out a breath. "And, besides – you know what she's like – one conversation with Steve here and he'll have her won over, she's a sucker for some charm." He laughs, and Danny and Steve follow suit, the tension relieved with the interruption from the heavy talk.

Rick continues. "You guys should go now, and I'll start on her over dinner. Do you know when you're leaving?"

Danny looks to Steve. "We have no flights booked so it's up to you Danno."

Danny shrugs. "I guess we'll probably stay another day, leave in two."

Rick nods. "Okay, well give me a call in the morning. If your mother has grown up a little, then you might want to come around tomorrow, and if not, then we could maybe go _out _to lunch or something, if you don't already have something planned? Bring Jay?"

Danny nods and smiles at his father, his face having faded slightly in one of those typical post-rant expressions that Danny wears. "Sure, sounds good."

With that, Rick leads them through the house and leaves the door only a fraction of the way open as Steve and Danny reclaim their jackets and he follows them back out into the chilly Jersey air. Danny steps back to hug his father, pressing a kiss to his rough cheek as he steps away. Steve holds out a hand to Rick, and he shakes and pulls him into a half hug before patting him towards Danny.

As the pair walk down the street in complete silence, the taller of the men can see the hurt in Danny's slightly slouched posture, and he holds off offering any contact, wary of that look in Danny's eyes; the look that says he'd rather not talk about it just yet. So he says nothing, and keeps his distance until the end of the block.

And it takes Steve by surprise when, as they round the corner, Danny stops dead and turns to him with a slight smile. It doesn't quite light up his eyes the way it usually does, but it's something. "You're quiet. I mean, you're no conversationalist, but you don't wanna say _anything_?" Danny isn't finished. "And you sure you're walking far enough away from me? Don't get too close, someone might think we're together." Danny's words are harsh, but his tone doesn't carry quite the same sting. Truth be told, though he had meant the words to come out jokingly, the afternoon with his mother has taken its toll and he's worried that her words have had an effect on Steve.

And, of course, the ex-SEAL takes less than a second to read Danny's tone, his hands, his body. Steve just shakes his head and takes one sep closer. "You idiot. You think _that _is going to scare me off." He's glad that the road is seemingly empty because he knows it makes Danny uncomfortable to appear vulnerable in public. "You can be so damn blind sometimes. You think" – he gestures to the space between them, eyes wide – "this is because I'm worried about what your mother thinks of me, or anyone else for that matter? Danny, I just don't want to force you into falling out with your family over me."

When Danny just stares at him, Steve closes the remaining gap between them. He laughs and pulls away just far enough to lean down and press a chaste kiss to his cold lips. They're men – granted, one of them is a very _sensitive _man, but they're still men – and so when Steve releases Danny's face and throws an arm around his boyfriend's shoulders, the barely-there-argument that they just had has stopped, and the air is relieved of any unease. Danny's still looking a little too thoughtful for Steve's liking, but with an arm wrapped firmly around him, he resumes their walk towards the hotel.

At half past seven, the Jersey street lights provide the only light on the sidewalks, and Danny looks up to Steve with a smug smile. "I told you Dad would like you."

Steve laughs. "He's a lot like you, you know. I like him." Danny nods – it's been said before – and they spend the rest of the walk back to the hotel completely differently to the anxiety-filled few minutes that the journey had begun with.


	15. Chapter 15

"So you gonna take me out for some infamous New Jersey pizza?"

"Are you kidding? I haven't had a decent pizza since I moved to that hellhole!" – even saying that sounds wrong to Danny now. With the man he loves and his beloved daughter both living on the island, it's impossible not to think of Hawaii as home now, hellish tropical fruit and all – "So, yes. Grab your coat."

**H**

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"So, you gonna ask me what my Mom said?" Steve looks across the table at Danny. Clearly enjoying his pizza by the look of the speed at which he eats it, Steve smiles. He's up one piece against Steve, and despite the mildly serious question, there is a hint of amusement in his eyes, and a shitload of the patented Danny twinkle.

The ex-SEAL swallows a large bite of pizza, following it with a shrug. "I wasn't sure you wanted to talk about it, figured you'd bring it up if you do."

Danny nods, as if Steve is missing something. "…Which I just did."

Steve nods, lifts his beer to his mouth and takes a sip. "Right, so; what'd your Mom say?"

Danny puts the piece of pizza in his hands back on the plate and leans back, arching and stretching out his back before leaning forward. "She said…not much actually. I don't know whether she was listening to anything I said, but she was pretty quiet."

Steve swallows another bite of the pizza, slowly catching up with Danny. "Is that good or bad?"

Another shrug. "Better than shouting, I guess."

"Your Dad seems pretty reasonable, I'm sure it'll work out fine."

Danny nods. As usual, the idiot is right. In an effort to lighten the suddenly serious mood, Steve changes the subject. "It truly, truly, pains me to say it; but you're right. Hawaiian pizza has nothing on this masterpiece."

Danny breaks into the biggest grin all day.

**H**

**5**

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Despite the change in Danny's disposition, by the time he and Steve have showered and gotten into bed, Steve is left wondering what the cop is in the mood for. He lies in bed silently for a few minutes, and idly lets his brain be distracted by meaningless crap. He wonders to himself why it is that their clothes seem to so easily change according to the company they hold. When Steve had arrived at Danny's door the previous day, Danny had answered in boxers _and_ a tee, and like Danny, without even thinking about it, Steve wears more when he's alone, though his preference is to add a pair of trousers to the arrangement that usually consists of just boxer-briefs.

Maybe it's to do with comfort, maybe it's simply a convenience for sex, but Steve suspects it's nothing more than their subconscious desire to keep hold of as much skin-to-skin contact as possible. And as Steve lies silent for just a few more seconds, the extended time having confirmed that nothing more will happen tonight, he rolls onto his side. Danny is facing in the same direction, and so pressing as much of his body to Danny as is physically possible, he brings an arm up to wrap around his form, and leans his head forward on his partner's warm back. When Danny shifts ever so slightly to get even closer, Steve smiles to himself.

Danny moves his arm in order to take hold of Steve's hand in one of his own, and grateful to have him on a night like tonight – never having been keen on sleeping alone – he lets his eyes drift shut. "Thank you." Steve doesn't bother giving a direct answer; he knows Danny doesn't want one.

"Love you Danno."

"Love you too."

**A/N: Thanks for sticking with this…now go review :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I've been meaning to say this for a while; I'm glad that everybody seems to like Danny's Dad. On you go…**

Steve wakes at eight o'clock, even the jet lag not enough to have delayed his awakening by much. He looks down with a smile as he takes in he and Danny's changed positions. Possibly a sign of the previous day – though they seem to end up like this most nights – Danny has managed to meander his way into Steve's embrace, his naked chest leaning against his bare side, head resting on the taller man's shoulder. Their legs are entangled, and with Steve's arm curled around the back of his partner, Danny's is snaked around the ex-SEAL's torso.

Steve's gaze finally leaving Danny's sleeping body, he moves his eyes to the detective's face. With another smile, he notes that Danny looks calm and serene, the worry lines above his brow nowhere to be seen. With each intake of breath comes a deep whoosh, and despite being asleep, Steve can still see the character in his face. His prominent jaw is covered with a short stubble, and though his hair is still reminiscent of the slicked back style so typical to Danny, the blond strands look to be much more ruffled than the previous evening, with the quiff having grown in height; bed hair is most certainly the correct term.

Funnily enough, Steve has no plans, and so he lies motionless and dozing until Danny eventually wakes an hour later. Steve re-opens his eyes, turns to the now-stirring cop with a hazy smile. "Mornin'."

"Mmm…" Danny winces at the light breaking through the cheap hotel curtains, and stretches out his arms only to resume his position in Steve's embrace. He can feel the soft rumble of Steve's chest as he laughs at the laziness. Danny knows that lying in bed for more time than is necessary is against Steve's natural urge; something that they both blame on the Navy. And it's arguably testament to his patience that on a day when they don't have to be up for work, Steve has made a habit of lying and waiting for Danny to wake.

After another few minutes of quiet that is broken only by the sound of their soft breathing, Danny lifts his head – arms still draped over Steve – and stares into his eyes for a few seconds. Steve looks up to the blond hair and smiles before the expression is interrupted by Danny's lips on his. Representative of Steve's attitude and Danny's gratitude, the kiss is slow, not showing even a shadow of urgency as their lips move effortlessly, tongues only just making contact before they pull apart. Steve presses a kiss to Danny's forehead before allowing him to sit up, back to the headboard. "How long have you been awake babe?"

Steve shrugs, attempting to convey to Danny that it's no big deal as he joins him in sitting up. "Not long, an hour or so."

Danny lets out a humourless laugh, though it's still well intentioned. "An _hour? _What have I told you, you don't need to lie doing nothing for hours on end."

Steve sends a smile his way. "I like watching you sleep. And reading your face."

Danny stutters for a second. "Wha- What do you mean _reading my face _you moron?"

Steve shrugs. "So I know what mood you're gonna be in when you wake up." Danny tries to think of some kind of witty response, but when nothing comes to him he just shrugs and pushes himself out of bed, turning back with a grin in case his words had come out too harsh.

Danny walks back into the room twenty minutes later, clean-shaven with a towel wrapped around his waist – water dripping off his body – and his hair carelessly swiped back over his head, wearing an unruffled expression. Steve stares up from his magazine, taking in the look that he's pretty sure suits Danny best; whilst he recognises the need for proper clothes in public, a shirtless, wet Danny is pretty damn sexy. "What?" Danny asks as he notices Steve's fixated gaze.

He shakes his head, forces the moment to pass. "Nothing. Just thought I'd have got used to the sight of you like this by now."

Danny laughs, gestures to himself with a mocking grin. "You ain't never gonna get used to this babe." He's joking, of course, but Steve is pretty sure he's hit the nail on the head.

He pushes himself out of the covers and onto his knees, beckoning Danny with a hand. "Come here. I owe you, remember."

Danny obediently returns to the bed, sitting on the edge as Steve kneels behind him and lets his hand get to work, rubbing away any physical remnants of the previous day. Danny lets his head nod forehead, his eyes closing softly as he lets out an involuntary sigh in response to Steve's hands that use their considerable strength to rub hard. It's one of those sensations that teeters perfectly around the edge of pain and bliss, and Steve manages to keep it effortlessly balancing on the right side of that line.

"You go shower, I'll call my Dad," Danny says as Steve's hands finally leave his back. Steve heads for the bathroom, stripping of his boxers and stepping into the shower, washing quickly and shaving with the shitty complementary razor because he knows it's how Danny likes him best.

Danny has a similar reaction to the ex-SEAL when he returns half naked to the room, but his poker face is more practiced, and so apart from the eyes that linger a little to long as they pass over Steve's body before finally reaching his face several seconds later, he manages to suppress the natural desire to sit and stare. "You call him?"

Danny nods, lying upright in the bed again. "Yeah." Steve notes that his expression is neutral, no sign of upset. "He talked to Mom last night. Apparently she was quiet again. He said it seemed like she wanted to apologize, but she's too proud for it. He's gonna bring it up again this morning, but if we don't hear anything from him then we'll go round at one."

Steve nods, unable to avoid the slight butterflies he gets at the thought of enduring an argument similar to last night. "Come here babe. Let me look at those battle wounds."

They're hardly battle wounds – more battering wounds – but he follows his orders. Danny leans close to him, and Steve feels his warm breath tickling his face as he leans down slightly for the shorter man to get a better look at the right side of his head. "Hold still," he says. Steve turns to stone, and he feels a slight pull of the skin for a few minutes before Danny retreats, holding the steri-strips up in front of him. "They're almost healed." He runs his fingers – light and careful – over Steve's eye, touching the bruise that's very nearly gone, leaving just a light yellow shadow around the edge of the socket.

Danny's too close to resist kissing him, and so he doesn't even bother to attempt to hold back as his hungry mouth searches out that of his boyfriend.

**A/N: Just so everyone knows, I'm thinking that I will probably post two chapters tomorrow. Let me know what you thought of this latest update… :)**


	17. Chapter 17

Danny can feel the nerves in Steve's presence as they approach his parents' house later that day, and he gives the hand that he holds in his own a squeeze as he lifts a fist to the door. Determined not to cave to his mother's views even the slightest and sure that it's hardly an explicit display of affection, Danny refuses to let go of his hand as the noises begin from inside the house. "Stop worrying. If she kicks off, we're leaving." Steve feels another pang of guilt, but he's grateful for Danny's words all the same.

Richard Williams opens the door, and he takes both Steve and Danny's jackets before leading them through to the kitchen and dining room. As they enter, Danny's mother has their back to them, a cloud of steam rising over her head from whatever it is that she's cooking. She turns around at the sound of new company, and though her face isn't exactly _ecstatic,_ she looks a hell of a lot more approachable than yesterday.

"Mom," Danny acknowledges. His mother turns around further, and his father watches, his eyes wary of how this arrangement is going to go. Danny, the petulant child he often is, waits until he's sure his mother has noticed the entwined hands before letting go. His mother has an attempt at a smile as she leans forward to allow her son to press a quick kiss to her cheek. "Mom, this is Steve." Danny turns to his partner and makes a gesture between them.

Taking it as his cue to – as Rick would say – turn on the charm, Steve takes one step forward and extends a hand. "Steve McGarrett, pleasure to meet you ma'am."

Zoe Williams nods ever so slightly, and Steve thinks he detects a trace of surprise in her expression as she takes him in. "Zoe, Danny's Mom," she offers. It's not the friendliest introduction he's ever had the pleasure of taking part in, but he'll take it.

"The food smells great," Steve says as he steps forward again to look into the pot on the gas cooker. It doesn't escape Danny's notice that his father seems mildly impressed by the ease with which Steve allows himself to move around the room as though right at home. On many it would be an annoying quality, but the height of Steve and the investigative glint in his eyes give it an endearing edge.

Steve glances in, smiling as his eyes settle on the spaghetti bolognaise in the pot. His face transforms into more of a grin as he returns to Danny's side. "Spaghetti bolognaise; it was my mother's favourite." Danny isn't sure whether his father has explained Steve's familial situation or whether his mother has chosen simply to ignore the tense of that sentence, but either way he's pleased she hasn't brought him up on it just yet.

Zoe smiles a small smile, and Danny knows that look. He's seen it before in the faces of HPD officers, doctors charged with the challenge of treating Steve, and even a few criminals. It's the face of a person who desperately wants to hate the man that has muscled in on their case, or is making their job as difficult as possible, or has just arrested them with full intention of charging them…or managed to entice their son into a relationship with another man; but who can't help but find themselves oddly intrigued by the ex-SEAL. He fits every single stereotype, yet effortlessly seems to defy them at the same time.

The first stereotype you work to apply is that of a military man; but he's in a same-sex relationship.

So next you move onto a gay man; but on paper, he's one of the most masculine men you think you've ever met (that's not say he's not gay, but it still challenges the commonly perceived typecast).

So finally you move onto police officer; but it's still no good because the man breaks _far _too many laws for that to be a feasible fit.

Only a few seconds have passed, and Zoe finally responds with a tone that is full of forced manners; at least she's making the effort. "Good to hear it. There's enough to fill an army there." Zoe winces as she remembers what her husband had told her last night about Steve's history with the Navy, but Steve seems unoffended by the remark as he smiles widely at her. "Lunch will be ready in ten. Danny, do me a favour and lay the table?" Danny obliges and Rick manages to find something to busy himself with to avoid being called on.

Danny listens from across the room as his mother begins to speak. "Steve." Steve drags his gaze away from Danny and in her direction, takes a step closer. "I wanted to apologise for my behaviour yesterday. I hope it hasn't made you uncomfortable." Steve gives an inward laugh, _Yeah, it's made him uncomfortable. _

But shoving his feelings aside, he smiles widely again. "It's no problem. Don't worry about it." Danny knows it's a good thing, but he can't help but be a little disappointed that Steve let his mother off so easily. Not that it really matters, because the way he talked to her last night, Danny is pretty sure he made up for it.


	18. Chapter 18

"Mmm, wow. Zoe, this is good." Steve shoots the compliment her way, and Danny smiles at him out of the corner of his eye. He's almost positive that Steve can't see the expression, but he forms it anyway because, damn, if he wasn't already going out with the man, he would find it pretty fucking hard to resist him now. No one should be allowed to be this freaking charming without breaking some kind of law.

Zoe smiles back at him, and Danny and his father share a glance; they can both see that Steve is slowly winning her over. Sure, he may be a reckless Neanderthal with an alarmingly low regard for the law considering his occupation, but he certainly manages to mask his irresponsible tendencies with charm and wit. Rick can see what his wife is thinking; she likes the guy, and though it pains her even to admit it to herself, she regrets saying what she said. Yes, she's still having some problems with the same-sex relationship part; but with the man, there's no problem at all. And with that very last part, he couldn't more whole-heartedly agree.

"So, have you guys booked your flights home yet?" Rick asks as he takes another mouthful of spaghetti.

Danny nods. "Yeah, we booked them this morning. We're on the half past eleven flight out of Newark International tomorrow morning."

"And Jay? You gonna say goodbye before you go?"

Danny nods. "We were gonna go out to dinner tonight seeing as dining at the hotel is limited. Thought we would ask if she wanted to tag along."

"Have you spoken to Grace since you got here?"

Danny nods. "I spoke to her yesterday. But she called Steve just before we got _here_, she likes to check up on us."

Steve laughs and nods as he swallows his mouthful. "Yeah she was excited to see us; says she's going to come to the airport, she already called Chin to make sure he picks her up on the way. And then we have a rare few days off so Rachel said she'll let Grace stay with us seeing as she and Stan are both busy with work." Steve has already filled him in, but he smiles at his daughter's antics anyway.

"So you guys are living together then?" Rick asks, his face and tone showing not a shadow of surprise, in fact he sounds like he had already made the assumption. Danny and Steve both glance to Zoe anxiously, but her face is still neutral, betraying nothing.

Danny shrugs. "Sort of, I guess." Rick and Zoe both know _exactly _what that means. And they're right; though Steve and Danny have never directly broached the topic of moving in together, Danny hasn't slept a night in his own apartment in two months, and there has been a gradual migration of clothes from his place, slowly filling the portion of storage space that Steve has cleared. Steve makes a mental note to mention that later.

"So Steve, you know Grace well?"

He nods. "Yeah I first met her a couple of weeks after Five-0 was formed." Steve makes sure to clarify that sentence. "Danny and I have only been together for a couple of months, but we've been close since day one so I've always been lucky enough to spend a lot of time with Gracie. She's great. I love her," he says; the simplest thing in the world.

Danny is pretty sure that the lightening of his mother's face is just about visible as she looks into Steve's honest eyes. He breaks into a fond smile, "She has the both of us wrapped around her little finger."

Zoe nods, "Yeah, us too."

As the meal wears on, and they move through to dessert and finally coffee, Steve continues to gradually win Danny's mother over. _He_ may not be able to see it, but it's plain on her face for both Rick and his son to see; she likes him.

**H**

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"She likes you," Danny says after they've said their farewells to his family, making them promise that they'll visit the island sometime soon. "She may not be comfortable with the fact that I'm dating a hunky giant of a man," Steve smirks at that, "but she still likes you." Danny pauses as he swings a hand through the air and looks up at Steve. "So hey, you're in the clear."

Steve meets his gaze and smiles as they continue to walk. He welcomes the habit that shortens his stride to keep in line with Danny, and reaches out for his hand.

**A/N: See you tomorrow for the next chapter :o)**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews – they make my day!**

Steve and Danny laugh affectionately as they make their way to a table by the window of the restaurant. They're tactile, and both the strong physical and emotional attraction are obvious in their eyes as they sit across from Jay with an apology. "Sorry cuz, we were a little held up."

Jay nods knowingly, glancing down at their entwined hands atop the table. "Yeah, I bet you were."

There's a mischievous glint in Danny's eyes as he avoids her gaze, and Steve suppresses the smile with difficulty, hiding his mouth behind a balled fist. They let go of each other's hands to push their jackets onto the back of their seats, and both shuffle their chairs slightly closer so that their arms brush together comfortably. "How'd it go with your Mom and Dad?" Jay asks as their smiles subside.

Danny takes this one. "Good, better than last night. Steven here is quite the charmer."

Jay nods. "Yeah, I've noticed. Bet there's not a woman in the world with the willpower to resist that face."

Steve looks around uncomfortably as Jay and Danny share a meaningful nod, it's pretty clear she approves of Danny's catch. "And if all else fails, the super-SEAL will hang you over a building and beat you to a pulp until you comply." Jay doesn't look entirely surprised at that, especially not after Danny's re-telling of some of Steve's antics back at home.

Steve looks back to their company, changing the subject. "Hey, Jay. We mentioned it to Danny's parents, but you should come to the island sometime. We have a spare room, a patch of beach out back and Grace to keep us all entertained." Steve notices the way he automatically refers to the house as _theirs_, and sets another mental reminder to bring that up when they're alone.

Jay nods, eyes brightening at the prospect of some time in the sun. "I'd love to." She quickly makes plans for her impending visit to the island, and with the bad reaction from Zoe seemingly over, she wants to know more about Danny and Steve's relationship, professional _and _personal.

Danny jumps in, starting with the bad. "I'm telling you, this man has a God-complex, a superhuman perception of himself that far exceeds reality," Steve shrugs, "and some pretty serious control issues, not to mention the fact that we barge into volatile situations without backup on one of Steve's whims, and all the while he seems to think it's some kind of bullet discharge contest, with a points bonus for every door we mange to take out on the way." Now he has it out of his system, Danny grins at his words, making contact with Steve's frowning eyes.

"What about the time I had to save your sorry ass because you managed to get yourself hit with the stray shrapnel?"

Danny stares, eyes wide and exasperated as Jay stifles her giggle. "Seriously? Please, Steven, tell me you are joking. You think one 'rescue'" – he indicates the quote marks in the air – "makes up for the hundreds of times I've had to storm in after you because you've failed to call backup and your control issues are making you agitated doing nothing!"

Steve shrugs, smiles innocently. "So the partnership is good then?" Jay interrupts.

Steve and Danny look to Jay, back to each other, then finally back to Danny's cousin. Neutral expressions on both of their faces, they nod. Jay can't help the laugh that erupts from her chest. "And the _relationship_?"

Steve takes this one. "Even better than the partnership." He looks across to Danny, who is already staring back at him with a smile, and pushes an elbow out to nudge his arm.

Danny nods, conceding. "Yeah. Seems that despite the man's apparent disregard for all things lawful, things are going great."

Steve leans back in his seat, stretching out his arms before letting one rest on the back of Danny's chair, the hand dangling off the edge naturally moving to rub up and down his arm. They hold eye contact for a few seconds before Jay clears her throat, "Well, I'll be expecting the wedding invite within the next few months then." In fact, Jay may not be all that far off. As she watches the pair interact, she notices many of the same things that Danny's father had, and though her cousin has only been in a relationship with this guy for a couple of months, she can see that they'r completely and utterly in love. Not only that, but neither seems ashamed or embarrassed by their rapport; not that they should be, but after thirty-something years of straight relationships, it wouldn't be unusual to exhibit unusual behaviour.

It's only now that a question dawns on Jay, and even before the words have come out, she suspects she knows what they're answers will be. She can see Danny's history written all over his face, and she knows that despite having loved Rachel for the entirety of their marriage – and then some – the mutual feelings they shared were nothing compared to this. What he and Steve has is different; it's a consistency of two minds, working in tandem and reading the face of the other like an open book; it's the way that they move around each other to cater to the other's every need; and it's the way that they look at each other, their bottomless eyes showing nothing but lust, affection and love as they bore into the eyes of the other. They arguably care for each other more than anyone else that Jay will ever meet, and Danny's caring for Steve after his seemingly endless disasters and injuries, along with Steve's willingness to fly across the country to comfort his lover; those are just two examples of the commitment between them.

Jay just hopes she finds someone that can give _her _what Steve and Danny give to each other.

She leans forward. "Hey guys, this may be a bit of a personal question. And if you don't wanna answer, then go ahead and tell me to shut the fuck up, but are you…gay?"

They both look to each other, and they don't hesitate as they shake their heads. Danny looks to his cousin. "No. Never had feelings for any guy other than this idiot," – he nudges him – "and still haven't given any guy a second look since my rationale decided to defy logic and hook me up with him." There's absolutely no doubt in his mind that in falling in love with Steve, he's fallen in love with a person; not a gender. Frankly, having experienced a same-sex relationship, it wouldn't' bother him if he _was_.

Steve gives a characteristic, nonchalant shrug. "Have I slept with another guy before; yeah – one. Did I love him? No. It was rebellious experimenting. Am I gay? No, I don't think I'd have gone another fifteen years in relationships with women if I was. But frankly, I don't think it will matter. Because I can't see this ending." Danny hasn't heard Steve's opinion on the topic before, and he's glad he knows.

If nothing else, then Danny is glad that he and Steve are on the same page. Because neither of the men has any intentions of letting the other go; both have the full intention of leading a long life together; and both are madly in love with the other.

**A/N: Okay, so there are only two more short chapters left of this story. I won't have time to upload tomorrow but I will upload the final two chapters the following day, and then I'll probably begin to post the sequel to this story the same night as well. Please review, ly. x**


	20. Chapter 20

Danny and Steve both fold Jay into their arms one after another, Danny pressing a kiss to her temple before she turns to head back towards her car.

The Thai restaurant was Steve and Danny's choice, and so the walk back to their hotel is only a few minutes, and they pass quickly in comfortable quiet. Steve isn't worried about what he wants to ask Danny, but he waits until the privacy of their long corridor until blurting out the proposition. "Danny, move in with me."

Danny is barely out of the lift before he turns to Steve with a loud cough, still walking backwards towards their room. "I'm sorry, what? Where did that come from?"

Steve shrugs. "You're parents mentioned it earlier, and I just figured, why not? You barely stay at that hellhole you call an apartment, and you and Grace already stay with me on the weekends you have her." There's a pause as they begin to near the door. "You don't have to say yes, but I love you Danno. And I love Grace, and I'd love it if you moved in."

Danny swipes the hotel card through the slot in the door, and turns to push himself through the door back first as he grabs a hold of Steve's jacket and pulls him along with him. Steve kicks the door shut behind him as Danny chucks the key card onto the table, pushing Steve up against the nearest wall with a fiery kiss.

Danny doesn't waste time, his hands eagerly moving up to Steve's jacket, pulling it off and allowing him to return the favour, his lips capturing Danny's again just a second later. Next thing he knows, Steve's hands are over his head pulling off Danny's tee and their lips losing contact for only a couple of seconds. Danny lets his hands move to the buttons of Steve's unusually-formal shirt, weaving them undone quickly and allowing his hands to roam over his hard chest, mapping out the contours of his torso as Steve's do similar to Danny's soft back.

He finishes the job of baring Steve's chest, pushing the shirt off his shoulders as he gently guides him in the direction of the bed, with the taller man gladly falling to the mattress as they both pause to free themselves of trousers and socks.

Steve doesn't bother fighting Danny for control; not yet. But remembering that this started out as a question, he waits for Danny to come closer until Steve has no choice but to lie back on the bed. Danny plants a knee either side of the ex-SEAL as he uses his arms to prop himself, allowing his head to hover above Steve's as he looks into his deep emotion-filled eyes.

"Is that a yes?"

Danny grins, lets out a short chuckle. "Yeah, babe. It's a yes."

With that, Danny leans down and presses his lips to Steve's once again, kissing him senseless for a good couple of minutes before his lips stray from the spot, moving to Steve's neck and eliciting a moan. Danny continues in similar motions, his hands roaming Steve's body, his lips making their way over every spot of his partners skin but managing to avoid the one section of Steve that remains covered. "No one should be this fucking gorgeous," he whispers inbetween kisses. Danny knows he's only feeding Steve's ego, and he may well regret piling on the complimentary comments, but as Steve begins to return the favour, Danny knows that whatever happens in this bedroom tonight will stay between them, and that's exactly how it should be.

And several minutes later, Steve decides enough is enough. Normally he would let Danny do as he wishes, enduring the anticipation of his lustful body to satisfy Danny's needs for the night; and he knows Danny does the same. But today, the blissful evening, the successful proposition, and the few nights they've gone without this level of contact and intimacy has got to Steve, and he can't take it any more.

So with a roguish grin, and a wicked laugh, Steve finds the leverage to flip Danny over and do to him what he's wanted to do all night.


	21. Chapter 21

The flight home – yes, that's what Danny is calling it now – is, thankfully, uneventful. Other than the cramp they both have to endure in the crowded aircraft – seemingly made infinitely better by just the presence of the other – the journey is bearable.

"_Hey monkey_." Danny grins as he hitches his holdall a little further up his shoulder and leaves the door of the airport, opening his arms for his little girl to engulf herself in. Steve follows behind, briefly hugging Chin before Grace similarly throws herself into his arms.

Steve lifts her up, allows her to kiss him on the cheek. "Steeeeevvee," she smiles.

"Hey Gracie, me and Danno missed you." He presses his own kiss to _her _cheek and sets her back down on the ground, grabbing his bag back up off the floor as Grace puts herself inbetween the two men, taking a hand from each as she pulls them towards the car.

"Hey Grace," Danny says as they lower themselves in. She sits next to him on the backseat, with Steve and Chin up front. Steve turns around to watch the conversation with a smile. "Me and Steve…If it's okay with you, we were thinking that maybe we could move into his house. That way, Danno" – he cringes as he refers to himself in the third person – "doesn't have to keep going back to the apartment to get things."

Grace beams back at him, then to Steve. "Uncle Steeevee, can we paint my room _purple_."

Steve grins and laughs at what is apparently Grace's primary concern. "_Purple? _Yeah, sure. Why not? You gonna help me with the painting though?"

Grace nods, wrapping her arms around her father's significantly larger one and hugging close to him.

**H**

**5**

**0**

Later that night, with Grace tucked up in bed upstairs, Steve and Danny sit watching some mindless game show that neither of them are really interested in. But there's nothing else on tonight, and so Steve turns to dangle his legs off the end of the couch, gently lying back into Danny's lap as he stretches with a sigh.

"What, so now I'm a personal pillow and all-round servant?" Danny asks, a slight laugh hidden somewhere in his tone.

Steve shrugs, calling Danny's bluff. "You want me to move?"

"Nah, babe." He leans down to press a kiss to Steve's lips and in that moment everything is just right.

With Grace in bed having been promised a new room the next time she stays over, Danny knows he's found a perfect father for her.

With Steve with his head in Danny's lap, the detective's hands playing softly in his dark hair, Steve knows he's found the perfect company.

And with the last few months having put the couple through more than their fair share of difficulties, both men know that in the other, they've found the perfect lover, the perfect comforter, and the perfect life partner.

**A/N: And that is the final chapter of this instalment of the series. I've already uploaded the first chapter of the sequel – the final instalment. It's called **_**Unconventional **_**so go on over to my profile to find it there. I hope everyone has enjoyed this fic, I'd love to hear from as many of you as possible via the review button. x**


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